Excellent Boutique Canned Bevvies to Get Us Through Picnics and Beach Days This Summer
No glass? No problem.
Now that summer has finally arrived in Aotearoa, it's time to start thinking about the ultimate canned drinks to accompany platter-filled picnics and beach dates.
There was once a time when cans were the sole domain of beer and those terrible Purple Goannas we all drank in our first year of uni. But now canned bevvies are truly having a moment, with low-sugar, boutique alcohol options flooding the market. This means we don't have to lug a litre bottle of gin to the beach any time soon — never a good look.
We've compiled a list of our favourite fresh options set to fill fridges this season, ready for you to crack into on a balmy summer evening.
HONEST CAN-TAILS
For the dark liquor fans, it's often tough to find a good pre-mixed canned option that's not, you know, a Cody's. But the clever fellas behind local boutique rum supplier Honest have managed to do it, with their new Six Spiced 'Cantails'. A refreshing mix of ginger beer, rum, mint and fresh lime, it's a canned drink that almost tastes like it's been freshly whipped up for you by a bartender, rather than carted around in your picnic basket.
HEY HEY
Hey hey, it's another option in the pretty pastel can line-up for summer. This pre-mixed, low-sugar cocktail has four simple flavours and a peachy aesthetic you're bound to see all over the 'gram. Touted as having low sugar and no artificial colours, Hey Hey has been marketed as a "health-conscious" RTD, which seems like a bit of an oxymoron. But, flavour-wise they've absolutely nailed it with flavours such as pink grapefuit and gin, and vodka with lemon lime bitters, peach and nectarine, or yuzu and tangerine.
UNCOMMON WINE OF NZ
This start-up is offering Kiwis a convenient (and sustainable) single-serve wine option that's perfect for those moments when lugging a bottle just doesn't suit. With some of the chicest packaging on the market, wine fans can get their mitts on two bubbly varietals from Marlborough; a deliciously dry blushing pinot noir rosé and a crisp, refreshing sauvignon blanc. If you're planning on spending Christmas or New Year's at the beach this year, get yourself a few of these for cheersin'.
DIRTY WATER
With a name like Dirty Water, you wouldn't expect this offering from Garage Project to have such a clean ingredient list. But the brewers behind some of the country's most beloved beers have managed to whip up a sparkling alcoholic seltzer with less than 1g of sugar per can, making it perfect for those long sessions where you're gonna end up drinking a lot of them — on the beach or boat perhaps. Grab a box next time you're dashing past any of the Garage stockists to see what all the fuss is about, and hey, while you're there, stop in for a beer paddle. Why not, right?
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